Manchester City have reportedly joined Newcastle United and West Ham in the race to sign Arsenal’s French attacker Alexandre Lacazette.
According to Fichajes, Manchester City have entered the race to sign Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette, who is also a transfer target for Newcastle United and West Ham.
Lacazette joined Arsenal from Olympique Lyon back in the summer of 2017 for a then club-record £46.5 million transfer fee. Always a reliable forward known for his versatility and work ethic, the 30-year-old’s time at Emirates has been a mixed bag, with him not achieving the elite heights as envisaged by some when he arrived in north London.
In total, the French striker has tallied 68 goals and 29 assists from 179 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal. However, his stock has tumbled recently. His playing game time has greatly diminished, with him making just three starts while featuring in just over 250 minutes of Premier League action this campaign.
The Frenchman’s contract standoff is also not helping his cause either, with him in the final year of his current deal. It is understood that the Arsenal hierarchy has no intentions of extending the player’s stay at the club, with Gunners keener to invest in young, hungry and dynamic players.
Lacazette will be able to open talks and sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club in January, as he will enter the final six months of his Arsenal deal. This situation has made Lacazette one of the most attractive propositions on the transfer market. A host of top clubs are vying for his signature, particularly from the Premier League, with Newcastle United, West Ham and lately Manchester City wanting to strengthen their attacking ranks.
It is well-documented that Pep Guardiola’s City are currently operating without an out-and-out centre-forward at the club with players being deployed in the false-nine role to variable success. But that can only go so far as in several games, they seem very one-dimensional and lack the presence of a potent goal-scorer.
Not entirely a traditional No. 9, Lacazette has distinctive qualities that can suit Guardiola’s system, A prolific marksman who is tactically versatile, boasts decent work-rate and links up well with the forwards around him, he is certainly an option worth considering.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have very little attacking quality aside from Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson. Signing someone of Lacazette’s calibre would be a bit of a coup for the Magpies, who, after their Saudi-led takeover, can offer lucrative terms to tempt the player to Tyneside, but it’s hard to imagine Lacazette involving himself in a relegation scrap.
A cross-London switch to West Ham, on the other hand, would be an appealing prospect for Lacazette. The Irons are flying high across all frontiers at the moment and are in contention for top-four spots in the Premier League. However, much-like Newcastle and Man City, the Hammers are riding on thin ice, with influential attacker Michail Antonio being the only recognized striker. Acquiring Lacazette would be a big boost to their Champions League hopes.
With other prominent European teams such as Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus also considered as potential destinations, it now remains to be seen who will step up their pursuit and land the 30-year-old French hitman.
